Merlin’s Hide Out

Written By: Sarah Reish

We really enjoy meeting makers and business owners across the state and Merlins Hide Out is definitely a gem you won’t want to skip. We want to thank Mike and Reliant Federal Credit Union who support small businesses and sponsored our visit to Merlin’s hideout. Our goal is to highlight these amazing people, their businesses, and watch them grow.

Meet Merlin

Merlin is everything you would want to see in a man who found a passion in tanning buffalo hides and sewing all manner of fur goods. His beard gives off a mountain man vibe and he is both soft spoken and has a sharp sense of humor. You can find hats, jackets, blankets and more in his store. Merlin began his work in a spare bedroom in 1999 and today their shop is a sprawling tannery, production facility, and store front. He is also self taught, but don’t let that fool you because you can see his work on the big screen. Merlin’s fur Buffalo jackets were used in the 2015 Quentin Tarantino film, The Hateful Eight, starring Kurt Russell and Samuel L. Jackson. The business name comes from the log shed that Merlin once worked in after outgrowing the spare bedroom and his wife, Barb called it “Merlin’s Hide Out”.

The tannery

First thing to note is Merlin purchases the hides annually from a farm, meaning these are farm raised bison. This coming year they are growing in production from 410 hides to hopefully procuring 500. The second thing to note is that the tannery is inside their facility and continues to be, however, due to growth they have recently outsourced this side of the business to Mark and Liz Dean, owners of Kirby Creek Tannery. They now manage the entire process of receiving the fresh hides until they are inspected for the store or sewn into fur goods. While Mark shared that he has tanned his own hides from hunting he said he learned a lot of the process from Merlin himself. From salting to hanging and soaking to tumbling and brushing, there are a million steps taken to achieve the final product which is as soft as a cloud. Liz and Merlin took us on a tour of every step. The overall time to complete the tanning process is 45 days. Each hide is fleshed, salted, rehydrated, shaved twice, tanned, oiled, dried and finally tumbled and brushed twice. At the end of this process it is inspected and graded.

More than buffalo

Merlin and Kirby Creek Tannery offer more than buffalo in their repertoire. From their custom orders for hunters who drop off their hides, to the buffalo hides used in house, we found there was a massive selection of fur goods that they work with. We were able to learn more about this while chatting and continuing our tour. From a mountain lion hide that was going to be taxidermied, to hats and even comforters, the orders were varying and turning out beautifully. 

The production

Leaving the tannery on to production, upstairs is our next stop and it is a stunning array of creativity. From racks of different fur hides to sewing machines and large tables for creating Merlin’s amazing products, the upstairs is a space where creativity thrives. We loved their one-of-a-kind beards, the hats and more, all of the elements begin to come together in the space. We saw fur cut into patterns for hats, the beginning of blankets laid out and even the large rack where giant buffalo hides are hung for brushing. This is the final stop for the pelts before they turn into stunning pieces to be moved down to the store front or shipped to a waiting customer. For custom orders we learned that Barb helped design the patterns and would lay out the furs to provide samples so their customers could have a visual. Liz even helps with the sewing upstairs, but Merlin is very much a part of every step of the process for each piece, from beginning to end.

The quality and care

Whether you explore online or get to experience the store in person, there is a softness and quality you can see, feel, and yes, even smell in the products. One thing that stands out is that Merlin said the buffalo hides and other furs aren’t meant to be hung on the wall or draped/laid out and left for years on end. They need to be used. Worried about wear and tear? Simply brush the fur with a metal pet comb, use a vacuum hose to clean and if there is a spill just use a dry cloth to absorbed the liquid and then a lightly dampened cloth to wipe it clean. Never use chemicals or pour water onto the fur or hide. Also, perfumes are a no-no and do not store the furs in plastic or cedar chests or closets. 

Hit the road! 

Merlin’s Hide Out is open Monday through Saturday 8 am - 5 pm. 626 Richards St, Thermopolis, WY 82443 Stop by and tell Merlin and the others hello and that we sent you. Be sure to share your visit on social media and tag us @LiveWYldMag and use #LiveWYld